They serve afternoon tea in the back near where the baking is done on the premises.

It was the tartes that won my heart - the irresistable tarte pamplemoussepistache and a crumble griottes(cherry). Both were not overly sweet, even tart and very fruity. The shortbread crust was too good to leave uneaten as I usually do.

The cover of today's Stylist was graced with a picture of a be-wigged Steven Spielberg, president of the Cannes film jury this year, with the line,

"Et s'il avait été une femme?"

(And if he had been a woman?)

There's been a lot of talk of the paucity of women directors competing in this year's film festival and rightly so.

The same goes even more so in the pastry world. Very few women can break through 'the oven door'. Almost no women get a chance to compete for the highly desirable MOF award. And very few were competing at La Coupe du Monde de la patisserie in Lyon. Veronique Mauclerc's boulangerie is exceptional as is Claire Damon of des Gâteau et du Pain. Both should be supported and are worth going out of your way for. So please visit. You won't be disappointed I promise.
And you'll see interesting shoes on the #5 Metro to Laumiere

18 comments:

I've been reading your blog for a couple of years now, and I have to say yours is the best (and I read ALOT of blogs :) I've noticed in a couple of your posts that you'll adhere to certain "rules" for lack of a better word when it comes to food, i.e. "never eat dessert unless its fabulous" and that you "never normally eat the shortbread crust"...is this how you (and now your fellow Frenchwomen) keep your weight in check? Are there any other rules to follow that you could share or maybe do a post on them one day? I would love to hear about them....Also, I notice you swim a lot....do you go everyday and do you find it really helps with keeping slim?I look forward to your posts everyday.Nancy

Do as I say not as I do..I don't eat crust because I don't like it..never have.I swim about 4 times a week because I love it and because I have to for the sciatica I had a few years back. Otherwise it's fun to make up rules but I'm not much good at sticking to them if they interfere with my immediate desires.I'm not French and never will be. I snack too much.Cheers Carolg

Hi Carol,I adore reading your blog. I love seeing Paris through your eyes when I can't be there. The dogs are essential too! But what finally prompted me to write after months of reading was the picture of the red boots. Wow, I wouldn't want to have missed that! Jennie

The bread! So many loaves, so little...wait...do I detect a distinct preference for tartes over bread? Mais, oui! When do the loaves get their close-ups? Please, one day when you have become bored with all the beautiful pastries (maybe by l'annee 2039?), maybe un petit close-up?

Putting a trip to Veronique Mauclerc on my to do list. One of my favorite trips was to the 12th to Vandermeersch for a King Cake--loved the feves and the women gave me a fabulous shopping bag too. LuLu

So great to see you write about Veronique Mauclerc! We made a pilgrimage there during our last trip to Paris and it was fab! We are heading back to Paris again next month and will be using your blog to help plan some of our itinerary. Vanessa

I was there two days ago and I loathed the place but if you enjoy the old time snotty Parisian sales staff attitude that despises the notion of customer service then by all means you should go here. And the "tea room" is just a wooden picnic table shoved into a hallway in front of the famous old stove where you can maybe get a cup of overpriced pekoe, that is, if the sales staff is in the mood, but then again, some people go for that, so if you do then this is definitely right up your alley.Just because she's a female baker doesn't mean Veronique gets free pass when it comes to professionalism. You know I'll have more to say about this rip-off joint when I get back to my blog.

Paris Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it, now tripping over cobblestones, living in a 6th-floor garret on l'Ile Saint-Louis, Paris. Read Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris breakfasts.